NATIVES OF EASTERNMOST SIBERIA 79 



the cluster, and sought for implements and small char- 

 acteristic objects in trade for our nicknacks. Leaf 

 tobacco put up in half-pound packages and chewing gum 

 were freely accepted in payment, but many demanded 

 money. 



The usual formula was, "Do you want to make trade 

 for this?" holding up the article. 



''Yes." 



"Well, how much do you want?" 



Then ensued a long and guttural conference with the 

 squaws, or with any native who happened to be in hear- 

 ing. At the end of this the word "mauneta" (money). 



"Well, how much money?" 



The answer would be, "You speak;" or else "One 

 dollar;" or simply "one." A half pound of tobacco gen- 

 erally bought a walking stick or fishing tackle, and if 

 the seller hesitated, a stick of chewing gum or a box of 

 matches tiu-ned the balance. The only American coin 

 they knew was the silver dollar and I made a long argu- 

 ment in explaining that two quarters and a half were 

 equal to the larger disk. But their ideas of the values 

 were vague. A five-cent stick of chewing gum (which 

 they chewed with tinfoil, paper and all), was not pre- 

 ferred to a half-cent box of matches. 



As we wandered through the village, entering the 

 doorless huts without invitation and without offence, we 

 surprised the women at various domestic tasks: cooking 

 thick, greasy soup, cutting up red raw meat for dogs, 

 sewing mukluks with incredibly close stitches, mixing the 

 red tanning liquor of the willow, twisting shredded sinew 

 into three-ply thread with a rapid roll of the heel of one 

 hand over the other. Most of them had let the warm fur 

 parka fall from one or both shoulders, exposing their 





